Riding in Cars With Researchers – Certification Matters

Riding in Cars With Researchers – Certification Matters

Certification of Research Staff

I am Dr. Jeff Kingsley and this is another edition of Riding in Cars With Researchers! Today we are talking to patients about the level of training of the research staff seeing you in a research trial. I have a dirty little secret to share with you. There are a lot of undertrained people in the research industry. A lot. There are a lot of research coordinators that have not had adequate training and support when they get into research. There are research coordinators who’ve been in research for years, but if you test them, they cannot pass a test on their research knowledge. Meaning they haven’t learned all that much. And the same is true in physicians. There are physicians that are very competent physicians, have little to no research experience, but are given the ability to be Investigators in research trials. That is a dirty little secret in our industry. And that is something we need to stop; something we need to fight against.

Certification Improves Outcomes

If you follow all of the editions of Riding in Cars With Researchers, then you will know that I’ve talked about certification and the value of certification in research. But today we are focused on patients. Certification has been shown to improve outcomes. So if you, as a patient, are in a research trial, with a certified research coordinator, and a certified Principal Investigator, your data is more likely to mean more. You giving of yourself is more likely to make a difference in the world because you are being cared for by a certified coordinator and a certified Principal Investigator. I’ve never had a patient ask me if I was certified – which I am.

You Have Power Over the Industry

So I’m talking to patients today and I’m encouraging you to ask. When you are being asked to be in a research trial, ask them if the coordinator is certified by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). Ask if the Principal Investigator is certified by the ACRP. If you ask, multiple things will happen:

If you get certified staff, you will be treated better. Your data will mean more.

More research sites will certify their research coordinators and Principal Investigators.

If you ask, you will have power over the industry. You will help the industry to mature. It’s called professionalization. You can have an impact on the professionalization of the research industry. Certification matters. Patients – ask! When you are asked to go into a research trial, ask whether or not the coordinators and the physicians are certified.

I appreciate your help in changing this industry! We are making a difference. Keep pushing, keep changing the industry and helping it to mature. It’s an awesome thing! We can always get better. Thank you for riding along!

Send me topics you want me to talk about at connect@iact-health-staging.ycjrvwt5-liquidwebsites.com!